- Date
- January 1, 2023, 19:30, time zone not recorded
- Place
- Old Bridge, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8282KPiper PA-32R-301T
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230101004429A
- Case key
- 106560
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees during the landing approach.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to stay in the airport traffic pattern and make two full-stop landings to meet night currency requirements. The pilot described that shortly after takeoff he encountered an unexpected indication while retracting the landing gear and that one of the navigation radios turned off and then back on again. He then extended the landing gear and subsequently noted no abnormal indication. He continued the in the traffic pattern and while on final approach to the runway noted that he was “low,” had a clear view of the runway, and did not see any trees or other obstructions. He then increased engine power before he heard the sounds of (trees) striking the airplane. He could see the runway in front of him, so he landed the airplane and taxied uneventfully to his hangar. Both of the airplane’s wings and horizontal stabilizers were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8282K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-301T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-8129002
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 3,790
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 23, 2022 · 18 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 3N6 · Old Bridge, runway 24, 3,594 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 19, 2022
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 483 total · 154 in this make and model · 316 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- BLM, 13 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KBLM 012356Z AUTO 25006KT 10SM SCT080 08/05 A3004 RMK AO2 SLPNO T00830050 10133 20083 53021=
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 15, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.